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WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center

ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION

CBS Broadcasting Inc. vs. Edward Enterprises

Case No. D2000-0242

1. The Parties

1.1 The Complainant is CBS Broadcasting Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York, United States of America, having its principal place of business at 51 West 52nd Street, New York, New York, United States of America.

1.2 The Respondent is Edward Enterprises, an entity having an address at P.O. Box 570131, Tarzana, California, United States of America.

2. The Domain Name(s) and Registrar(s)

The domain name at issue is <cbs.net>, which domain name is registered with Network Solutions, Inc., based in Herndon, Virginia, United States of America.

3. Procedural History

3.1 A Complaint was submitted electronically to the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center (the "WIPO Center") on March 31, 2000, and the signed original together with four copies was received on April 13, 2000. An Acknowledgment of Receipt was sent by the WIPO Center to the Complainant, dated April 6, 2000.

3.2 On April 6, 2000, a Request for Registrar Verification was transmitted to the registrar, Network Solutions, Inc. ("NSI") requesting it to: (1) confirm that the domain name at in issue is registered with NSI; (2) confirm that the person identified as the Respondent is the current registrant of the domain name; (3) provide the full contact details (i.e., postal address(es), telephone number(s), facsimile number(s), e-mail address(es)) available in the registrar’s Whois database for the registrant of the disputed domain name, the technical contact, the administrative contact and the billing contact; (4) confirm that the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy") is in effect; (5) indicate the current status of the domain name.

3.3 On April 7, 2000, NSI confirmed by reply e-mail that the domain name <cbs.net> is registered with NSI, is currently in active status, and that the Respondent, Edward Enterprises, is the current registrant of the name. The registrar also forwarded the requested Whois details, and confirmed that the Policy is in effect.

3.4 The WIPO Center determined that the Complaint satisfies the formal requirements of the Policy, the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Uniform Rules") and the Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Supplemental Rules"). The Panel has independently determined and agrees with the assessment of the WIPO Center that the Complaint is in formal compliance with the requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy, adopted by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ("ICANN") on August 26, 1999 (the "Policy"), the Uniform Rules, and the Supplemental Rules. The required fees for a sole Panelist were paid on time and in the required amount by the Complainant.

3.5 No formal deficiencies having been recorded, on April 10, 2000, a Notification of Complaint and Commencement of Administrative Proceeding (the "Commencement Notification") was transmitted to the Respondent (with copies to the Complainant, NSI and ICANN), setting a deadline of April 29, 2000, by which the Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint. The Commencement Notification was transmitted to the Respondent by e-mail to the e-mail addresses indicated in the Complaint and specified in NSI’s confirmation. In addition, the complaint was sent by express courier to the postal address given. Having reviewed the communications records in the case file, the Administrative Panel finds that the WIPO Center has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Uniform Rules "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent."

3.6 On May 1, 2000, not having received any response, the WIPO Center sent the parties a formal Notification of Respondent Default.

3.7 On May 8, 2000, in view of the Complainant's designation of a single Panelist, the WIPO Center appointed M. Scott Donahey to serve as sole Panelist.

4. Factual Background

4.1 Complainant registered the service mark "CBS" in connection with radio and television broadcasting services with the United States Patent Office ("USPTO") on July 9, 1968, for a period of 20 years, and renewed the application for an additional 20-year period on July 9, 1988.

4.2 Complainant has used the CBS mark in connection with broadcasting services since at least October 15, 1933.

4.3 Complainant has, over a period of some sixty-five years, expended substantial sums of money advertising and promoting its services under the CBS mark.

4.4 On February 5, 1996, Respondent registered the domain name <cbs.net>.

4.5 To date, Respondent has not used the domain name to develop a web site.

4.6 Complainant has sent Respondent a letter requesting transfer of the domain name at issue. Respondent did not respond to the request.

5. Parties’ Contentions

5.1 Complainant contends that Respondent has registered as a domain name a mark which is identical to the service mark registered and used by Complainant, that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect to the domain name at issue, and that Respondent has registered and is using the domain name at issue in bad faith.

5.2 Respondent has not contested the allegations of the Complaint.

6. Discussion and Findings

6.1 Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs the Panel as to the principles the Panel is to use in determining the dispute: "A Panel shall decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the Policy, these Rules, and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable."

6.2 Since both the Complainant and Respondent are domiciled in the United States, and since United States’ courts have recent experience with similar disputes, to the extent that it would assist the Panel in determining whether the Complainant has met its burden as established by Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy, the Panel shall look to rules and principles of law set out in decisions of the courts of the United States.

6.3 Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy directs that the Complainant must prove each of the following:

1) that the domain name registered by the Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; and,

2) that the Respondent has no legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and,

3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

6.4 It is clear that the domain name at issue <cbs.net> is identical to the service mark in which the Complainant has rights.

6.9 Telstra established that whether "inaction" could constitute bad faith registration and use could only be determined by analyzing the facts in a given case.

6.10 In this case, the Panel finds that where (1) the mark is one that is widely known in the United States, where Respondent purportedly resides, and was widely known at the time Respondent registered the domain name at issue; (2) Respondent gave no street address for itself or its Administrative Contact in the information it supplied to the registrar; (3) Respondent failed to respond to a letter from Complainant; and (4) Respondent failed to Respond to the Complaint at issue or to deny any of its allegations, that Respondent's inaction constitutes bad faith registration and use of the domain name at issue.

7. Decision

For all of the foregoing reasons, the Panel decides that the domain name registered by Respondent is identical to the service mark in which the Complainant has rights, that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name at issue, and that the Respondent's domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith. Accordingly, pursuant to Paragraph 4,i of the Policy, the Panel requires that the registration of the domain name <cbs.net> be transferred to the Complainant.